Meter seal



Patented Oct. 11, 1938 o f iF-FICE This` invention .relatesV to an improved ex-.A

panded metal fastener .of novel formand to a method of quickly and inexpensively producing the same. By way of example, I have illustrated 5 the fastener inconnection witha known type of m-etal seal, wherein two Vapertur'ed portions are engaged with a protrusion on` the seal. The present improvement is directedl particularly to the method and means for eecting a fastening l of one or moreperforated parts arounda'pr-i truding part by a head on the protrusion, which' is expanded laterally to an vappreciable extent, so that such head cannot be drawn through the aperture without breakage Voi. the parts. The inl vention will be fully apparent from the follow-V ing description, when readin connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan View of a meter `seal adapted to have portions thereof `fastened in accordance with the present invention ;:Fig. 2 is a View of the seal after certain parts have been fastened; Fig. 3 is an enlarged section illustrating one step in forming the improved fastening device; Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a further step in the formation of the improved fastening; Fig. 5 is adetail View of an expansible ring adapted to be inserted trates a plan of a known type of meter seal have` ing thumbprint receiving 'portions I0 and I2 connected by a weakened portion I4 and having an Aelongated tie portion I6 adapted, for example, to

35- be passed through apertures in bolts, or thumb screws of a meter to be sealed. The seal is provided with a protrusion I8 which, as illustrated in Fig. 3, is in the form of a hollow button-like.

projection. In the particular` seal illustrated, the 40 portion IIJ is provided with an aperture 20, which is adapted to be engaged around the protrusion I 8. There is a similar aperture 22 Vin the extremity of the tieportion I6,y It isV desirable inv meter seals to permanentlyfasten the partscon l5 taining the apertures `2l) and-22 by heading over the protrusion I8 in such a manner that the lseal cannot be opened without breaking the'head or otherwise distorting the seal, so as to reveal the fact that the same has been tampered with. A

50 mere blow with a hammer or other tool would k have Vtheriveting effect of heading over the protrusion`l8.v But, a head so made is not uniform and in some cases there is not secured sucient spreading of th-e metal to prevent an unscrupulous, 55 but skillful person, from manipulating the headed overportion, soV that it can be forced throughrthe lopenings 20 and 22.`

-oTo avoid this, I provide an improved method y and means whereby the metal of the head will be .Y expanded laterally to such an extent that it is impossible to force it through the apertures.

My improved fastening involves the inclusion, in the head, of an expanded ring, such as indicated at 24. By the use' of such a ring, when applied according to my improved method, the metal at the m extremity of the head is expanded laterally for a Y considerable distance beyond the normal diameter of the protrusion I8 and thus an ei-ective marginal overlap is secured.

' vIn forming the improved fastener, I iirst insertv l5 the expansible ring 24 into the cavity of the protrusion,. as indicated by Fig. 3. Thereupon, the portionsof the seal having the apertures 20 and 22 thereinY are folded so that the protrusion extends d therethrough. The parts are then subjected to 20 the action of die members 26 and 28, such as shown in Fig. 4. The member 26 is ofa size to enter the cavity in the protrusion I8 and to slightly expand the split ring 24. The die member28-has a blunt, substantially conical, por- 25 tion 30 which in coaction with the die member 26 is eiectiveto expand the ring and thus distort the metal of the protrusion laterally to a considerable extent, thus forming the overlapping annular bead portion' 32, shown in Fig. 6, which is of con- 30 siderably greater diameter than that of the apertures 20 and 22. Thus, the annular bead extends laterally outward from the body portion 34 of the protrusion and effectively prevents the forcing apart of the thus united parts, except by breakage 35 .or fracture which would reveal that the seal had been tampered with.

While not limited thereto, the fastener may be madeof relatively light weight metal, such as aluminum, or alternatively can be made of brass,

copper, steel, or the like. The expansible ring 24 may be either afsplit ring, or a solid ring of steel, or other metal. But, it is deemed important to include a ring, which is capable of being expanded laterally -by the coaction of cooperating dies so as toform Va head having an annular overlapping portion of materially larger diameter than the apertures 20 and '22, which the head overlies. In some cases, it is also considered desirable to ex-Y 59 pand the metal of the protrusion to a point closely approaching Vthe yield point, or elastic limit of the metal, so that, if an attempt is made to distort the metal by punching the center of it down through the apertures 20 and 22, the metal will be per- 55 forated or fractured and thus reveal the fact that therfastening has been tampered with. l

While I have described quite precisely the specific meter seal fastener illustrated and have referred to certain denite steps in its production, it is to be understood that the drawingy and description are to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense since various modications and substitutions of equivalents may be made Without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claims. l

What I claim is: L

1. A fastener comprising a strip of metal'haV-.A'

a protrusion stamped upwardly and extensions on opposite sides of said protrusione'ach said extension'having an openingand `being bent. re: versely to superpose said openings over'said protrusion and with'the'protrusion projecting theref' through, a`V ring in said protrusion above said openings, and said ring and the walls of said protrusion being rexpanded abovesaid `openings to prevent removal: of the4 protrusion therethrough.

2. AA fastener comprising a strip of metal having a protrusionk stamped upwardly and extensions on opposite sides of said protrusion each said extension having an opening and being bent reversely to superpose said openings over said protrusion and with .the protrusion projecting therethrough, a split ring in said protrusion above said openings, and said ring and the Walls of said Vprotrusion being expanded above said openings "FREDERICK B. #mot/Isola.` 

